Kenneth A. Thisdale, a DeKalb County School System speech pathologist, pled guilty today in DeKalb County Superior Court to one count of Medicaid Fraud (O.C.G.A. § 49-4-146.1(b)) for a false billing scheme. Thisdale was employed by a company which had entered into contracts to provide speech therapy services to students in DeKalb County Schools. Many of the students who received therapy services pursuant to the contracts were Medicaid recipients. Thisdale submitted false Medicaid claims for more speech therapy services than he actually provided and for services that he had not rendered. Additionally, Thisdale falsified patient charts to conceal the fraudulent billing.

Judge Mark Anthony Scott sentenced Thisdale to ten years, with three to serve. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $822,443.00.

Senior Assistant Attorney General D. Williams-McNeely prosecuted the case on behalf of the State of Georgia. The case was investigated by Special Agent Merlin Ector of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Fraud Investigator Tiffany Reed, Investigative Auditor Kim Kolesnick, and Criminal Analyst Vanda Russell of the Georgia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.